Bhagavad Gita: Chap 11 (Pt-2)Vishwaroopa Darshana Yogah:Yoga of the Vision of the Universal Form
By T.N.SethumadhavanMay 2011
Preamble
Seeing the Lord’s cosmic form Arjuna is struck with awe and wonder. He sees the entire universe in a single immeasurable form as also His destructive, all-devouring expression. Fraught with fear and overwhelmed with adoration, Arjuna surrenders completely to that colossal form. He bows; he prostrates and begs forgiveness for his lack of reverence towards Krishna in their relationship.
The vision of the Lord’s cosmic form terrifies Arjuna. He pleads with Krishna to resume His original form, the form of Vishnu. Krishna assumes His gentle form. Arjuna regains his composure when Krishna explains the difficulty in gaining the state of God-realization. He points out the way to reach the Supreme Being.The Lord tells him that all spiritual practices like study of scriptures, austerities, charity, performing sacrifices etc. by themselves cannot lead one to the Supreme. They will at the most make one an introvert.Thereafter, deep meditation only is the means to become one with the Absolute.
The Text
sanjaya uvaacha
etacchrutwaa vachanam keshavasya
kritaanjalirvepamaanah kireetee
namaskritwaa bhooya evaaha krishnam
sagadgadam bheetabheetah pranamya // 11.35 //
Sanjaya said
Having heard these words of Kesava, the crowned-one (Arjuna), with joined palms, trembling, prostrating himself, again addressed Krishna, in a choked voice, bowing down, overwhelmed with fear.
Arjuna was extremely terrified on seeing the Cosmic Form and so he spoke in a choked and stammering voice. These words of Sanjaya are very significant because he thought that at this late moment (after knowing fully well the impending destruction of all in the Kaurava side) King Dhritarashtra would halt the war and call for peace to save at least his own son from being killed. But the blind king was obstinate and did not consider Sanjaya's indirect advice worthy.
ARJUNA'S HYMN OF PRAISE
arjuna uvaacha
sthaane hrisheekesha tava prakeertyaa
jagat prahrishyatyanurajyate cha
rakshaamsi bheetaani disho dravanti
sarve namasyanti cha siddhasanghaah // 11.36 //
O Hrishikesha! It is proper that the world delights and rejoices in your praise; rakshsas flee in fear in all directions and all the hosts of Siddhas bow to you.
In an ecstasy of adoration and anguish, Arjuna praises The Lord. He sees not only the destructive power of Time but also the spiritual presence and law governing the cosmos. While the former produces terror, the latter gives rise to a sense of peace.
kasmaaccha te na nameran mahaatman
gareeyase brahmano'pyaadikartre
ananta devesha jagannivaasa
twamaksharam sadasattatparam yat // 11.37 //
And why should they not bow to You,O Mighty Being, greater than all else, the Primal Cause even of Brahma, O Infinite Being, O Lord of Lords, O Abode of the Universe, You are the Imperishable, the Manifest and the Unmanifest, that which is Supreme (that which is beyond the being and non-being).
Arjuna clarifies as to why the great men of knowledge bow down before Sri Krishna by enumerating the majestic and divine qualities of The Lord.
twamaadidevah purushah puraanas
twamasya vishwasya param nidhaanam
vettaasi vedyam cha param cha dhaama
twayaa tatam vishwamananta roopa // 11.38 //
You are the Primal God, the Ancient Purusha, You are the Supreme refuge of this Universe, You are the Knower, the Knowable and the Supreme Goal. The Universe is pervaded by You, O Being of Infinite Forms.
Param Dhaama: Just as the rope (the substratum for the superimposed snake) pervades the snake, so also the Self, through its nature of Existence, Knowledge and Bliss absolute, pervades this entire Universe.
vaayuryamo'gnirvarunah shashaankah
prajaapatistwam prapitaamahashcha
namo namaste’stu sahasrakritwah
punascha bhooyo'pi namo namaste // 11.39 //
You are Vayu, Yama, Agni, Varuna, the Moon, Prajapati, and the Great Grandfather, Salutations! Salutations! unto You, a thousand times and again salutations, salutations unto You.
Great Grandfather: The Creator of even Brahma who is known as the Grandfather.
namah purastaadatha prishthataste
namostu te sarvata eva sarva
anantaveeryaamitavikramastwam
sarvam samaapnoshi tato‘si sarvah // 11.40 //
Salutations to You, in front and behind; salutations to You on every side! O All! You, infinite in power and infinite in prowess, pervade all; therefore You are the All.
The Supreme dwells everywhere within, without, above, below and around. There is no place where He is not. He is the all pervading essence like space in the Universe and also the source of all potentiality, power and capability. Since nothing can exist without Him He is Pure Existence. Hence He is the All and He alone is the All. (Ocean alone is all the waves or mud alone is all the pots).
sakheti matwaa prasabham yaduktam
he krishna he yaadava he sakheti
ajaanataa mahimaanam tavedam
mayaa pramaadaat pranayena vaapi //11.41 //
Whatever I have rashly said from carelessness or love, addressing You as O Krishna, O Yadava, O Friend, regarding You merely as a friend, unknowing of this fact of Yourgreatness....
yacchaavahaasaartham asatkrit’ si
vihaarashayyaasanabhojaneshu
eko’ thavaapyachyuta tatsamaksham
tatkshaamaye twaamaham aprameyam // 11.42 //
In whatever way I may have insulted You for the sake of fun, while at play, reposing, sitting or at meals, when alone (with You), O Achyuta or in company - that I pray to You, Immeasurable One, to forgive.
The vision of God produces a deep sense of unworthiness and sin. Arjuna, beholding the Cosmic Form of The Lord, seeks forgiveness for his past familiar conduct with Him. He says he was treating Him with casualness and intimacy not knowing His greatness and glory. He asks The Lord for forgiveness for his misconception of His powers. So long, Arjuna was thinking of Sri Krishna as a mere cowherd boy with whom he, a prince, made patronizing friendship. But when he realized His true nature, Arjuna bows down before Him in adoration and pleads for His mercy and forgiveness for whatever impropriety he might have committed either knowingly or unknowingly.
CH 2
pitaasi lokasya characharasya
twamasya poojyashcha gururgareeyaan
na twatsamostyabhyadhikah kuto'nyo
lokatraye’pyapratimaprabhaava // 43 //
You are the father of this world, moving and unmoving;the object of their worship; You, the greatest Guru, for there exists none who is equal to You; for how can there be another, superior to You in the three worlds, O Being of incomparable greatness.
Our experiences in the three states of existence - waking, dream and deep sleep - are the interpretations of the same Eternal from the levels of gross, subtle and the causal bodies. The Truth that illumines these experiences is everywhere one and the same. Hence there cannot be anything superior to That.
tasmaatpranamya pranidhaaya kaayam
prasaadaye twaamahameeshameedyam
piteva putrasya sakheva sakhyuh
priyah priyaayaarhasi deva sodhum // 11.44 //
Therefore, bowing down, prostrating my body before you, I crave Your forgiveness, adorable Lord! As a father forgives his son, a friend his friend, a lover his beloved, even so should You forgive me, O Deva.
God as a father is a familiar conception in all religions. The Supreme is not to be regarded as a transcendent mystery but as close to us as a father to the son, a friend to the friend or as a lover to the beloved. These human relations find in God their fullest realization.
adrishtapoorvam hrishito'smi drishtwaa
bhayena cha pravyathitam mano me
tadeva me darshaya deva roopam
praseeda devesha jagannivaasa // 11.45 //
I am delighted having seen what was never seen before; and yet my mind is distressed with fear. Show me that previous form only, O God; have mercy, O God of Gods, O Abode of the Universe.
Even though Arjuna experienced immense joy on seeing the Cosmic Form of The Lord yet the sudden expansion of consciousness caused in him great fear and distress. Hence he prays to Sri Krishna to resume His usual form and give up the terrifying aspects of the transcendent and the universal.
kireetinam gadinam chakrahastam
icchaami twaam drashtumaham tathaiva
tenaiva roopena chaturbhujena
sahasrabaaho bhava vishwamoorte // 11.46 //
I desire to see You as before, crowned, bearing a mace, with a discus in the hand, in Your former form only, having four arms, O Thousand Armed Cosmic Being !
Arjuna describes the exact form in which he wants Sri Krishna to appear before him. The four hands of God represent the four facets of the inner instruments in Man Viz. mind, intellect, chitta and the ego-sense.Blue color represents the Infinite. Yellow clothes mean the earth. Thus the Infinite clothed in the finite leading the life through four inner instruments is the symbolism of Lord Vishnu. In short Arjuna wants The Lord to appear before him in a serene form with quiet attitude.
THE LORD'S GRACE AND ASSURANCE
sri bhagavan uvaacha
mayaa prasannena tavaarjunedam
roopam param darshitamaatmayogaat
tejomayam vishwamanantamaadhyam
yanme twadanyena na drishtapoorvam // 11.47 //
Sri Bhagavan said
O Arjuna, by My grace, through My own Yoga power, I have shown you this Supreme Form, resplendent, universal, infinite and primeval, which none but you have ever seen.
The revelation of the Lord depends upon His grace alone, besides His lordly power in the Godhead; man cannot force it by his efforts. The Lord has shown His grace on Arjuna because he is His beloved devotee.
na vedayajnaadhyayanairna daanair
na cha kriyaabhirna tapobhirugraih
evam roopah shakya aham nriloke
drashtum twadanyena kurupraveera // 11.48 //
Neither by the study of the Vedas and sacrifices, nor by gifts, nor by rituals, nor by severe austerities, can I be seen in this form (Universal Form) in the world of men by any one else but you, O great hero of the Kurus.
By human endeavor through knowledge, austerities, sacrifices etc., one can see a particular aspect of Godhead. But Arjuna has seen the Lord in His Universal Form, reconciling all the aspects of divinity at one and the same time and in one and the same vision.
In an indescribable oneness are revealed all the facets of the Godhead - spirit and matter, being and becoming, creation and destruction, infinite and finite, space and time, past and future. This vision is granted only to the devotee who adores the Lord with single-minded, all-consuming, and unswerving love.
maa te vyathaa maa cha vimoodhabhaavo
drishtwaa roopam ghorameedringmamedam
vyapetabheeh preetamanaah punastwam
tadeva me roopamidam prapashya // 11.49 //
Be not afraid nor bewildered on seeing such a terrible form of Mine as this; with your fear dispelled and with gladdened heart, now behold again this former Form of Mine.
The Lord saw Arjuna in a state of distress and terror. Therefore, He withdrew the Cosmic Form and assumed once more His usual gentle form. He consoled Arjuna and spoke to him with kindness. The microcosmic representation of Truth in the form of gentle and smiling Sri Krishna is macrocosmic Universal Form representing the essence in all forms and names.
CH 3
sanjaya uvaacha
ityarjunam vaasudevastathoktwaa
swakam roopam darshayaamaasa bhooyah
aashwaasayaamaasa cha bheetamenam
bhootwaa punah saumyavapurmahaatmaa // 11.50 //
Sanjaya said
Having thus spoken to Arjuna, Vaasudeva again revealed to him His own form. The Exalted One (Sri Krishna) having assumed again the form of grace, comforted the terrified Arjuna.
Sanjaya confirms to Dhritarashtra that Sri Krishna came back to is usual form i.e. the very form in which He was born in the house of Vasudeva.
arjuna uvaacha
drishtwedam maanusham roopam tava saumyam janaardana
idaaneemasmi samvrittah sachetaah prakritim gatah // 11.51 //
Arjuna said
Having seen this Your gentle human form, O Sri Krishna, now I am composed and restored to my normal nature.
Arjuna admits that when he sees the normal and gentle form of Sri Krishna he feels relieved from his inner tensions and agitations.
sri bhagavan uvaacha
sudurdarshamidam roopam drishtwaanasi yanmama
devaaapyasya roopasya nityam darshanakaangkshinah // 11.52 //
Sri Bhagavan said
Very hard indeed it is to see this form of Mine which you have seen. Even the Gods are ever eager to see this form.
Sri Krishna says that even the Gods are eager to see the Universal Form but their wishes do not materialize even in their dreams. Such is the marvelous vision seen by Arjuna so easily.
naa ham vedairna tapasaa na daanena na chejyayaa
shakya evamvidho drashtum drishtavaanasi maam yathaa // 11.53 //
Neither by the Vedas nor by austerity nor by charity nor by sacrifice can I be seen in this form as you have now seen Me.
This is a repetition of Verse-48.
bhaktyaa twananyayaa shakyamaham evamvidho'rjuna
jnaatum drashtum cha tattwena praveshtum cha parantapa // 11.54 //
But by the single-minded devotion, can I, of this form (Cosmic Form) be known and seen in reality and also entered into, O Arjuna.
The reason why The Lord has shown the Cosmic Form to Arjuna only and to none else is given here. Devotion is the sole means to the realization of the Cosmic Form. In unbroken devotion which seeks none but The Lord alone, nothing other than The Lord is experienced by the sense organs wherein egoism and dualism totally vanish. Such experience by means of direct and immediate perception is what is called seeing in reality. ‘Entered into’ means that the devotee attains final liberation in the Lord after giving up the body. Thus the fulfilled seeker becomes the very essence of the sought.
matkarmakrinmatparamo madbhaktah sangavarjitah
nirvairah sarvabhooteshu yah sa maameti paandava // 11.55 //
He who does all actions for Me, who looks upon Me as the Supreme Goal, who is devoted to Me, who is free from attachment, who bears enmity towards none, he comes to Me, O Pandava.
This verse is the substance of the whole teaching of the Gita. He who practices this teaching will attain supreme bliss and immortality.
He who dedicates all works to the Lord, seeking no rewards to himself, who serves Him with all his heart and soul, who regards Him as his supreme goal, who lives for Him alone, who works for Him alone, who sees Him in everything, who sees the whole world as His Cosmic Form, cherishing no feeling of hatred or enmity towards anyone, who has no attachment to worldly objects, who seeks nothing but The Lord - such a one realizes Himand becomes completely one with Him. He enjoys eternal Bliss, peace and immortality.Thus the art of right living consists of the following five ingredients viz.
- Dedication of work to The Lord
- Keeping The Lord as the goal
- Devotion to The Lord
- Freedom from all worldly attachments and
- Absence of enmity towards anyone.
Whatever be our vacation and character, whether we are creative thinkers or contemplative poets or humble men and women with no special gifts, if we possess the one great gift of the love of God, we become God's tools, the channels of His love and purpose. When this vast world of living spirits becomes attuned to God and exists only to do His will, the purpose of life is achieved.
“The Gita does not end after the tremendous experience of the celestial vision. The great secret of the Transcendental Atman, the source of all that is and yet itself unmoved for ever is seen. The Supreme is the background for the never ending procession of finite things. Arjuna has seen this truth but he has to live in it by transmuting his whole nature into the willing acceptance of the Divine. A fleeting vision however vivid and permanent its effects may be, is not complete attainment. The search for abiding reality, the quest of final truth cannot end, in emotional satisfaction or experience”. Dr.S.Radhakrishnan.
Hence the Lord continues his advice to Arjuna in the following chapters of the Gita till Arjuna exclaims that all his delusions and confusions are cleared.
Omtatsatiti srimadbhagavadgeetaasu upanishatsu brahma vidyaayaam yogashaastresri krishnaarjuna samvaade vishwaroopa darshanayogo naamaekaadasho'dhyaayah
Thus in the Upanishads of the glorious Bhagavad Gita,the science of the Eternal, the scripture of Yoga, the dialogue between Sri Krishna and Arjuna, ends the eleventh discourse entitled:The Yoga of the Vision of the Universal Form
Concepts and Issues
Arjuna once again prays to The Lord praising Him and asking for forgiveness for having treated Him lightly during the moments of their intimate friendship. He then requests Him to withdraw His Cosmic Form and reappear in His usual four-armed form with the crown, mace and discus.After doing so, Sri Krishna tells him that His Cosmic Form cannot be seen by the study of the scriptures or performance of sacrifices or even austerity, but only by single-minded devotion.The Lord adds that those who are free from attachment and hatred and who dedicate all their actions to Him with unswerving faith, knowing Him to be the supreme goal surely reach Him.